In William Faulkner’s short story, “A Rose for Emily,” the character of Miss Emily quickly catches the attention of the reader. The audience slowly obtains a grasp as to whom Emily is throughout the story, eventually letting them know that Emily is a murderer, who is still mourning the loss of her father. After losing the only person that she has left, Emily’s character experiences a drastic shift in development, leading to events that suggest a change in the character on a deeper, psychological level. However, the question is raised as to whether she was simply shaken into an unstable state due to her father’s death, or if Emily had possibly been suffering from a mental illness all along. It becomes obvious to the reader that Emily’s father …show more content…
It is “believed that the Griersons held themselves a little too high for what they really were. None of the young men were quite good enough for Miss Emily and such,” (par. 25). Faulkner seems to hint at something deeper than just the simple disapproval from her father when it came to potential suitors. It seems as though her father had a greater purpose behind what he was doing, and that he was trying to protect her from the person that he feared she would become. In addition to this, Faulkner also mentions various times about Emily being “sick” or “ill.” However, he never directly explains what is meant by this. It is left open to the audience to decipher, and heavily points to a mental illness of some form or another. Without her father around to care for her any longer, she begins to degrade very quickly, both mentally and …show more content…
Could Emily have been shaken so badly by the loss of her father that she would sink to this level, or could this possibly point to something more? In the story, the townspeople discovered that a room in the upper level of Emily’s house had not been seen by anyone in forty years. Upon breaking down the door, they found the room “furnished as for a bridal,” (par. 57). In a way, it almost resembled a shrine, containing various objects belonging to Homer (par. 57). Beside the rotted body on the bed, was an indentation with a lock of Emily’s hair, meaning that Emily had slept next to the body of her deceased lover on more than one occasion (par. 60). Would someone of a sane mind do such
Emily was drove crazy by others expectations, and her loneliness. ““A Rose for Emily,” a story of love and obsession, love, and death, is undoubtedly the most famous one among Faulkner’s more than one hundred short stories. It tells of a tragedy of a screwy southern lady Emily Grierson who is driven from stem to stern by the worldly tradition and desires to possess her lover by poisoning him and keeping his corpse in her isolated house.” (Yang, A Road to Destruction and Self Destruction: The Same Fate of Emily and Elly, Proquest) When she was young her father chased away any would be suitors. He was convinced no one was good enough for her. Emily ended up unmarried. She had come to depend on her father. When he finally died, ...
In Faulkner’s short story, “A Rose for Emily,” Emily is a very secretive, isolated woman. At one point Emily was exceptionally strange and mysterious. Binder states, “When Emily’s father dies, the physical presence of his influence dies with him, but the effects of his actions remain to wreak havoc on Emily’s future” (2.) In her childhood,
\Miss Emily Grierson, the main character in Williams Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” removes herself from society and becomes a total recluse, refuses to progress with the passing of time, murders her lover, but continues to sleep with his corpse until her dying day. The behavior presented in Emily is a sign of mental illness. Throughout the story, Emily’s mental instability becomes apparent through her character. The house that she was raised in and died in, and the love she had for dead bodies lead to her mental illness eventually causing her death.
In the story “A Rose for Emily”, William Faulkner, the author talks about a life of a woman and the town she lived in.
Emily Grierson, referred to as Miss Emily throughout the story, is the main character of 'A Rose for Emily,' written by William Faulkner. Emily is born to a proud, aristocratic family sometime during the Civil War; Miss Emily used to live with her father and servants, in a big decorated house. The Grierson Family considers themselves superior than other people of the town. According to Miss Emily's father none of the young boys were suitable for Miss Emily. Due to this attitude of Miss Emily's father, Miss Emily was not able to develop any real relationship with anyone else, but it was like her world revolved around her father.
who had lost the person she really knew. This repression of Emily’s father dying was
William Faulkner's short story, "A Rose for Emily" is often held as a literary classic due to Faulkner?s ability to play with our minds and emotions almost to the point of frustration. However, there is much more than mind games that Faulkner plays that makes this story great. Emily Grierson, the main character, is a strong-willed stubborn old bitty, who is quite odd, this alone is a reason for greatness. To fully understand why Emily is the way that she is, one must look past the obvious and truly look at Emily. Emily Grierson has a mental condition that is just itching to be discovered.
...er. Upstairs in her bedroom, lie Homer’s decomposed body wearing remnants of the suit she had purchased for him many years ago. The indentation of a head on the pillow case and the strand of gray hair next to the body, gives us the impression that Emily laid there before her death. These clues give the reader a second and final rectification that Emily had necrophilia.
By using strong characterization and dramatic imagery, William Faulkner introduces us to Miss Emily Grierson in “A Rose for Emily”. The product of a well-established, but now fallen family, Emily plays common role found in literature- a societal outcast, who earns her banishment from society through her eclectic behavior and solitary background. Often living in denial and refusing to engage with others, Emily responds to her exile by spending the remainder of her life as a mysterious recluse that the rest of society is more content to ignore rather than break social customs to confront her. Emily’s role as an outcast mirrors a major theme of the story, that denial is a powerful tool in hiding a secret, however, the truth will eventually emerge. The mystery surrounding Emily’s character and the story’s memorable imagery creates a haunting tale that lingers with the reader.
William Faulkner’s short story “A Rose for Emily” displays themes of alienation and isolation. Emily Grierson’s own father is found to be the root of many of her problems. Faulkner writes Emily’s character as one who is isolated from the people of her town. Her isolation from society and alienation from love is what ultimately drives her to madness.
In “A Rose for Emily”, by William Faulkner, Emily Geierson is a woman that faces many difficulties throughout her lifetime. Emily Geierson was once a cheerful and bright lady who turned mysterious and dark through a serious of tragic events. The lost of the two men, whom she loved, left Emily devastated and in denial. Faulkner used these difficulties to define Emily’s fascinating character that is revealed throughout the short story. William Faulkner uses characterization in “A Rose for Emily”, to illustrate Miss Emily as a stubborn, overly attached, and introverted woman.
In Faulkner’s tale “A Rose for Emily” there are many historical elements throughout the story; Faulkner uses them to give an authentic feel to the story and to add to the setting. A recurring theme that I found was reference to the reconstruction of the South after the Civil War. The setting of the South after their demise in the Civil War adds character to the story and to the characters. The attitudes people had and the way people treated Emily with respect was a tradition of the “Old South” that is presented throughout this tale.
With every turn of the page, the dark and twisted storyline of “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner leaves the reader in a stronger state of shock and inevitably speechless. Faulkner cleverly uses symbols, characters, and theme to illustrate the inner thoughts of Emily Grierson and the community’s ongoing struggle between tradition and modernism. .
Emily’s father’s death was a major tragedy for Emily. It seems as if she was in denial of his death. Faulkner explains, “The day after his death all the ladies prepared to call at the house and offer condolence and aid, as is our custom. Miss Emily met them at the door, dressed as usual and with no trace of grief on her face. She told them that her father was not dead.” So Emily would not admit that her father had died. After she accepted his death, she had to endure life without a father. This must have been terribly hard, but she endured it. Many people also attempted to help Emily
In the short story “A Rose for Emily” written by William Faulkner, Emily, the protagonist, is shown as someone who’s life is falling apart and brought down by society. Emily in this story could be described as a victim to society and her father. Emily Grierson’s confinement, loss of her father and Homer, and constant criticism caused her, her insanity.